A thunderstorm is a weather phenomenon accompanied, in addition to precipitation, by thunder, lightning flashes and lightning strikes. Visitors to the mountains must be aware that during a thunderstorm we must not stay on summits and ridges, as lightning most often strikes the highest point. We must also move away from areas that attract lightning strikes. These areas are mainly protected mountain trails that contain a lot of iron.
There are several types of thunderstorms. The most common are heat thunderstorms, which occur from April to September, mainly in the afternoon and evening, and more rarely already in the early morning. We can avoid these storms by starting our trip very early, so that we descend from the summits already in the morning. Much more dangerous, but less frequent, are thunderstorms accompanying the passage of a cold front. Then we can expect heavy rainfall with wind, possibly also hail and snow. During such storms, large amounts of energy are released, resulting in very frequent lightning strikes. We can avoid encountering such a storm by staying at home when a cold front passage is forecast.
How can we recognize a stormy day? The morning color of the sky is more white than blue. This is a sign that there is a large amount of moisture in the air. Already early in the morning, small cumulus clouds begin to form, which then grow larger and develop into thunderstorms. A sign of worsening weather is also high atmospheric electrical charge, which we can recognize by hair standing on end.
When is the probability of thunderstorms very small? At night we see countless stars in the sky, the morning is clear without a single cloud, the grass is dewy, and a light easterly wind is blowing.
Before going to the mountains, we always follow the weather forecast.
Falling rocks are the cause of numerous mountain accidents in Slovenia and abroad. Because these accidents are becoming more frequent, mainly due to the increasing number of mountain visitors, we provide some guidelines on how to increase the safety of mountaineers.
First, we must know which areas have a higher probability of falling rocks. These are rock walls, rocky slopes, narrow valleys, gorges, ravines, couloirs, steep meadows and steep slopes.
The causes of falling rocks are as follows: The most dangerous and unpredictable cause is an earthquake. In this case, major rockfalls occur and walking on these paths is not safe for several years after the earthquake. A thunderstorm, which already brings many dangers, also causes falling rocks. When lightning strikes a rocky slope, rocks are dislodged and fly into the valley at high speed. Snowmelt is a cause of falling rocks mainly in spring and early summer. As snow melts, smaller or larger pieces of hard snow break off and fall downwards, pushing larger rocks into the valley. The most dangerous areas are those below rock walls, as cornices (wind-blown snow on ridges) usually break off above us and fall into the valley. Animals trigger rocks on steep rocky slopes, often above mountain trails and off-trail routes. Mountaineers themselves can also trigger rocks if they are careless while walking. The most dangerous are heavily visited paths used by less experienced mountaineers or tourists. In Slovenia, such dangerous routes include Mangart, Mojstrovka via the Hanzova route, Prisank, Prestreljenik and Triglav.
How should we behave when walking on slopes where falling rocks can be expected? We wear a helmet, cross such slopes as quickly but safely as possible, make sure we do not dislodge rocks ourselves, and do not stop for breaks. If we notice rocks falling near us, we warn others loudly by shouting “ROCKS FALLING” and move as quickly as possible to a safe place. If no completely safe place is found, we use our backpack as protection. We must especially protect our head, neck, nape and spine.
Slipping is the most common cause of serious mountain accidents, often ending in the death of a mountaineer. Slips most often occur in late spring and early summer, when mountain trails, especially those on shady slopes, are still covered with snow. We can prevent slips by carrying winter equipment (ice axe, crampons and helmet). Slips also occur on snow-free paths, mainly on steep grassy slopes and climbing routes. On wet steep grass, crampons can help, but they are not very practical for dry terrain, so it is better to avoid such paths after rain. On climbing routes, the rule of three points of contact applies, and in recent years self-belay sets have become increasingly recommended.
If a slip occurs, we should try to stop as quickly as possible, without sparing our arms and legs, and protect our head while sliding.
Fog can put us in a difficult situation if we are off marked trails or on plateaus. Due to loss of orientation, we can quickly get lost and be caught by night, which brings cold air and consequently hypothermia. For safer movement, we should always carry a mobile phone, GPS device or compass, a map and warm clothing.
Snakes are most often seen on warm, humid days in tall grass, dwarf pine and forest edges. In Slovenia, there are three species of venomous snakes. The most dangerous is the nose-horned viper, which inhabits lower areas. Less venomous are the common adder and the meadow viper, the latter being observed only west of the Soča River. The common adder is the most widespread snake in the Slovenian mountains and can be found up to 2400 m above sea level, most often in the dwarf pine belt.
Ticks are small animals belonging to the mite family. Due to infection, they are considered among the most dangerous animal species in Slovenia. Ticks cause two very dangerous infectious diseases: tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease. We can protect ourselves preventively against tick-borne encephalitis by vaccination. There is no vaccine against Lyme disease, so we must monitor the bite site for several days. If a red ring appears around the site, we must see a doctor immediately.